What moves you to help fund a tarot deck project?

[LIST][*]I have to like the art. that's the big one - though a totally off-the-wall philosophy would very likely turn me off unless the art was SPECTACULAR.[*]It has to be kickstarter unless I "know" the artist.
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"Monthly donations" ? I don't think so. It could go on for YEARS and you still end up with nothing.
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As said above plus:[*] If I am buying a tarot deck it has to follow the tarot structure where at least I can 'recognize' the cards. If the 9 of sword shows some happy celebrating faces, that won't do it as a tarot deck for me, no matter how brilliant the philosophy behind it is. Than I'd consider it an oracle deck, which I already have too many where I've never got the time/will to learn the conception behind them so I would not be interested in buying it.

The art has to truly blow my mind with beauty, or other qualities, and obvious and evident skill. And the deck itself has to make some kind of logical reading sense. And I want to see all or at least most of the cards before buying. Otherwise, no dice. It's ok, I now demand the same thing from mass market decks, as well. So it isn't a prejudism against crowd funded things.

I don't need a lot of perks or freebies.

I don't want fancy boxes or the like, that will jack up the price of the deck to ridiculous realms.

Apart from that, not really into crowd funding.

I don't need to know a lot about the artist, though a short bio and explanation of creative motive for the deck is always interesting.

I have to love the art (and see enough of the deck to gel with it), and prefer if it's on kickstsarter. Good marketing helps too - Eg a high quality video. Do not care who the artist is and also not too fussed about their philosophy as I am already in 'work mode' and thinking about how *I* feel about the cards.

I am all for early support of artists if I am in love with the deck though. That's how I came across The Fountain Tarot - saw, fell in love, handed over my money <3 (in return for a tarot deck)

The only projects I've backed (not tarot related) have expressed a clear set of obtainable goals and seemed really well organized. Their need for funding was specifically targeted towards bringing the product into production and getting specific things to the people who've pledged certain amounts of money. As their project grew (successful), they added stretch goals, to encourage people to continue adding their support.

I'm a bit leery of funding something as vague as an art project of any kind, and I guess I don't understand why someone creating a tarot deck wouldn't have already mapped out the entire deck in terms of style and format, much less each card

Do people really expect to get funded while they're still working out their overall project? Sure, I get it, people are passionate about their art, and the technical requirements of bringing a deck into production are likely a lot of work, but I don't see how people can ask for financial support without reasonably well thought out third and fourth rough drafts for each card, and a clear plan for the deck as a whole. Even if those rough drafts aren't the final product, at least their backers could see what they're aiming for.

I guess for me, it's a business decision, and if the project doesn't seem well thought out and organized, I guess I'd be reluctant to get involved just because somebody's got an idea about some pretty pictures they might someday choose to share in a tarot deck they haven't yet envisioned in its entirety.

And I want to see all or at least most of the cards before buying. Otherwise, no dice.

Padma! I only planned on having 30-40 of the cards finished before my deck Kickstarter in September. Is that a no-go for you?

I don't mean this to put you in the spotlight. I know there must be many out there who feel the same way, and I'd like to know if ~35/78 is sufficient basis for trust, or if people will only back with 78/78 of the cards visible.

Padma! I only planned on having 30-40 of the cards finished before my deck Kickstarter in September. Is that a no-go for you?

I don't mean this to put you in the spotlight. I know there must be many out there who feel the same way, and I'd like to know if ~35/78 is sufficient basis for trust, or if people will only back with 78/78 of the cards visible.

Arthur, the problem is just that with me, and with many, many others I know here, if for instance (example only!) the High Priestess is their most important card, and she doesn't look right to them, it will throw the whole deck for them. Same if their important card is Death, or the Hermit. That kind of thing. The representational image has to suit the tastes/expectations of the reader/buyer.

Sorry, we're a fussy lot :p

I suppose 40 out of 78 is not too bad, but that is still only slightly more than half the deck. It isn't about whether or not you lack skill as an artist - you obviously don't - it is about whether the image you represent on each card (specially majors) gels with how one feels about that card or this card in particular.

Arthur, the problem is just that with me, and with many, many others I know here, if for instance (example only!) the High Priestess is their most important card, and she doesn't look right to them, it will throw the whole deck for them. Same if their important card is Death, or the Hermit. That kind of thing. The representational image has to suit the tastes/expectations of the reader/buyer.

Sorry, we're a fussy lot :p

I suppose 40 out of 78 is not too bad, but that is still only slightly more than half the deck. It isn't about whether or not you lack skill as an artist - you obviously don't - it is about whether the image you represent on each card (specially majors) gels with how one feels about that card or this card in particular.

Ah, that's a valuable insight. This tells me that if I only have time to finish 30-40 cards before September, I should be focusing on the Major Arcana and court cards probably?

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